Invalid&#39;s wheeled chair



Nov. 6, 1962 B, c. BALDWIN 3,062,582

INVALID S WHEELED- CHAIR Filed Nov. 22, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. BuRroN [LARK BALDWIN BY M ATTORNEY Nov. 6, 1962 B. C.,BALDWIN INVALIDS WHEELED CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 22, 1954 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR. Bunrmv CZARK BALDWIN A rromvs Y Nov. 6, 1962 c, BALDYWN 3,062,582

INVALID S WHEELED CHAIR Filed Nov. 22, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 U2 j 39 46 47 48 33 I ....)/l.. 44 i 77 3 73 9 r 6 5 5 6 76 IN V EN TOR. BURTON CLARK BALDWIN Armxuex United States Fatent ()filice 3,052,582 Patented Nov. 6, 1952 3,062,532 INVALIDS WHEELED CHAIR Burton Clark Baldwin, Los Angeles, Calif, assignor of fifty percent to James M. Lewis, Altadena, Calif. Filed Nov. 22, 1954, Ser. No. 470,335 4 Claims. (Cl. 297-118) This invention relates to invalid chairs and particularly to wheeled chairs that are to be occupied by invalids who have not the use of their lower limbs.

When such an invalid is occupying an ordinary wheeled chair, at present it is necessary at times for an attendant to assist the invalid out of the chair, and to hep him onto a toilet seat. It is desirable to avoid this procedure.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an invalid chair with a seat having an opening in it provided with a closure which, while in its normal position closes the opening and enables the seat to function as an ordinary chair seat; and to provide actuating means capable of being operated by the invalid while seated in the chair, to effect the removal of the closure from the opening in the seat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction for such an invalid chair which, when the closure has been moved out of the opening, will enable the cha r to be wheeled by its occupant into position over the toilet bowl, and so that the opening in the seat will be aligned over the bowl.

Another object of the invention is to provide actuating mechanism for the closure that will include an operatfng handle within easy reach of the invalid; also to construct the actuating mechanism so that when in its position of rest it will lock the closure in its normal or closed position.

Invalid chairs are now availabe on the market that include two side frames each of which carries a wheel supporting the chair, and provided with means to enable the occupant of the chair to propel and steer the chair in any desired direction. One type of these chairs is provided with a forwardly disposed foldable X-frarne which enables the side frames to approach each other to colTap3e the chair laterally into a compact condition. This adapts the chair for storage or shipment.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide the seat and actuating mechanism for the closure with features that particularly adapt the same for the use in a folding-chair such as described; also to provide smple means for enabling it to cooperate with the side frarres of the chair to hold the same spaced apart in a fixed relation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure for the opening in the seat, with means for withdrawing it from the same; also to construct these parts in such a way a to enable the body of the seat and the closure to be readily constructed of a relatively deep cushion li e material, such as foam rubber, that will be comfortable for the occupant, and which will enable this to be accomplished without necessitating the closure completely filling the entire vertical depth of the opening through the seat body.

Further objects of the invention will he evident from a careful reading of the specification and study of the accompanying drawing.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combinations of parts to be described hereinafter, al of which which contribute to produce an efficient invalids wheeLd chair.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the fo lowing specification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of an invalid chair embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the chair illustrated in FIGURE 1, and showing the same in its collapsed or folded state. This view also shows the seat assembly in side elevation. In this view, however, the seat is shown upright to enable it to be packed conveniently against the side of the folded chair. I

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section of the chair in the plane of the line 33 on FIGURE 1 and representing the chair near the bowl as though about to be backed into position over it.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective of the seat as though removed from the chair.

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan illustrating a form in the construction of the seat that may be employed.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5, showing the seat of said FIGURE 5 in full lines in its operative position on the chair frame of FIG- URE 1, and indicating in dotted lines how the closure can be swung down preparatory to pulling it completely forward and swinging it down into a vertical plane.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical section similar to that shown in FIGURE 6, but showing the closure in its place after its forward movement has been completed and it is located pendent in a vertical plane.

FIGURE 7a is a horizontal section taken on line 7a7a of FIGURE 7, illustrating the means for mounting the chair seat to enable it to move upward on the chair frame when the chair is folded.

FIGURE 8 is a crosssection in a vertical plane on the line 88 of FIGURE 5, but showing the seat in its normal position that it has when in the chair.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary view, and is a partial vertical section on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 5 further illustrating details of the construction at the rear edge of the seat shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 10 is a bottom plan of another, modifird seat.

FIGURE 11 is a vertical section on the line 11-11 of FIGURE 10 but showing the modified seat in its operative position on the chair frame of FIGURE 1 with the closure dropped down preparatory to pulling it forward to completely clear the opening, and indicating in dotted lines, the closure in its extreme forward and pendent position.

The framing of this type of chair is generally composed of steel tubing with welded connections at the junctions between the tubing members.

Referring more particularly to the parts, and particularly to FIGURE 1, the chair frame 1 include two side frames 2 and 3 that are connected together at the front by a folding X-frame 4, which in the present instance is shown extended. It is composed of two inclined bars 5 that cross each other to form a joint in the rredial plane of the chair as located on the line 33 on F'GURE 1. At this joint the bars 5 are connected together by a through-bolt 6. Each side frame includes a side rail that in the present instance includes an upright forward extension 7, the upper portion of which is bent to form a substantially horizontal arm rest 8, and the rear end of this arm rest is connected integrally to one of the two upright rear frame bars 9. These bars are connected by a transverse chair back 10 of fabric material which may be secured by fasteners 10a shown in dotted lines on FIG- URE 3, and secured to the bars 9 of the chair frame that extend up from below; similar fasteners 8a may be employed for securing side panels 8b below the arms 8 of the frame.

The frame 1 includes two truck-frame side bars 11, the forward ends of which are connected respectively to the rear extensions of A-frames 12 located one at each side. To the truck-bars 11 the lower ends of the upright extensions 7 are rigidly secured forwardly at 13 by welding.

Each A-frame 12 includes a short front tubing 14, the

rear end of which is connected to the forward end of its corresponding bar 11 through a short fixed spindle or wrist 15. Below each of the short tubings 14 a caster wheel 16 is mounted to swivel on a vertical axis 17, including a belt or pin (not illustrated) that attaches a bifurcated bracket 18 carrying each wheel 16. Each A-frame 12 includes an inclined brace 19 the upper end of which is bent laterally at 20 where it is attached by welding, or otherwise, to the forward upright extension 7.

The lower end of each brace 19, below the short front tubing, supports an inwardly projecting foot board 21 (see FIGURES l and 3).

Parallel with the lower bars 11 each side frame includes a seat hanger bar 22 that extends in a front-and-rear direction. Each of these bars is parallel with its corresponding lower bar 11 and its ends are formed into yokeform sockets 23 and 24 to slide up on the upright extensions 7 (see FIGURE 7a); and the rear upright frame bars 9 which operate as the side bars at the back of the chair; and the lower ends whereof are welded or otherwi e secured at 25 to the rear portions of the corresponding bars 11.

The chair is provided at each side on each of the side frames 2 and 3 with the usual wheels. The bodies of these wheelsare usually of conical plates 27 the perimeters of which wheels carry tires 28 of all rubber or pneumatic tires, and there is usually at the outboard side of each wheel a hand wheel or ring 29 of metal or similar material, provided to enable the occupant of the chair to meander about in the chair. The inboard sides of these rings 29 have a plurality of studs 30 connecting them to the out-board side of the corresponding wheel bodies.

As indicated in FIGURE 3, the upper and lower end of each cross bar 5 is formed with a T-head 31 located between the forward end of its corresponding side bar 11 and the forward short tubing 14 which is part of the A-frame at that side, and these heads are each journaled on their corresponding wrist 15 that rigidly connects these parts.

A similar connection to this is formed at 32 alro as shown in FIGURE 3, where the upper ends of the forward inclined bars are connected into the seat hanger bars already described.

Bars 5 with their middle joint at their intersection constitute a folding X-frame that enables the complete frame to be collapsed into a compact state, as indicated in FIG- URE 2, for convenience in storing these chairs or shipping them to a destination.

The seat 33 of my invention includes a relatively fixed supporting panel 34 which may be formed of a thin sheet of plywood or of a piece of sheet steel or the like; see FIGURE 5 which shows the panel 34 in detail.

If the panel is made of plywood I provide a cross bar 36 of flat metal that is attached to the underside of the panel, and the ends of this bar are formed into hooks such as the hook 37, that extend out to the side, where they fit over the upper sides of the hanger bars 22 of the chair frame (see FIGURE 1). This cross-bar 36 is located at the front.

I call these hooks 37 and 39 saddles as they fit like saddles over the bars 22 of the chair frame. When they are in place on the bars 22 of course, they hold these bars in a fixed relation with respect to each other.

The seat 33 (see FIGURE 4) includes a cushion 40 of sponge rubber or similar material (not illustrated) which may have a covering 41 of leather 'or other suitable material, the margins 42 of which may be secured by tacks 43 to the underside of the panel 34 if the panel is made of plywood or similar material.

The opening 45 through the seat 33 is normally closed by a closure .6 that includes its own panel 47 also preferably of plywood and carrying a cushion form closure 48 constructed like the cushion 40 but having a contour in plan that conforms to the shape of the opening (see FIG- URE 5). This cushion form closure fits up from below into the opening 45.

In accordance with this invention means are provided for normally supporting the closure 46 in this position, operating in such a way that by pushing down the forward end of the closure panel 47, said panel operates as a drop-frame, after which the panel with the closure can be pulled forward under the chair seat.

The term drop-frame means a frame that can drop down to effect the withdrawal of the closure 48 from the opening 45 in the seal.

Two manually operable spring latches 54 have catches 55 that engage the rear extensions of a handle 53 to support the forward end of the closure panel at a level that will maintain a forward portion of a closure properly seated within the opening 45.

In one embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG- URES l0 and ll the closure 64 carries a panel 63 below it, to the underside of which a cross-bar 65 is attached, and the ends of this cross-bar are pintles 66 guided between horizontal flanges 67 of two channel bar 68, the channels of which face inwardly. These pintles with the flanges 67 constitute articulated joints allowing the panel 63 to be swung down anywhere it may be located in the channel'bars. The channel bars are parallel and are rigid with a cross-shaft 69 the ends of which are rotatably mounted in bearing brackets 70.

The forward ends of the channel bars are connected by a front-bar 71 the ends of which pro'ect over the hooked ends of spring latches 72 that normally hold up the dropframe with the closure in its closed position. In this position also, a bent down flange 73 seats against the side of the front bar 71. Then when the latches 72 are released, the drop frame comprising the side bars 68 will drop down at the front as far as will be permitted by the X-frame composed of the pivoted bars 5. Then the closure panel 64 with the closure will slide by gravity down the inclined side bar flanges 67. As the forward portion of the panel and the closure overhang forwardly beyond the vertical plane in which the X-frame lies, it swings down by its own weight so that the rear portion of the panel 63 and closure will be pulled forwardly. In other words, when properly constructed, the closure panel and closure can be made to assume automatically a position at the front in a vertical plane as illustrated in FIGURE 11. In this position the closure panel and closure are suspended on the pintles 66 when their movement is arrested by two stops 74 which are formed by bending in the ends of the webs of the channel bars 68 (see FIGURE 10).

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 5 to 9 inclusive the drop frame 75 is jointed to swing down on a horizontal axis at a hinge connection 76 on the underside of the sect 33. Its side bars 77 are of channel form to guide a closure panel 7 8 whose rear edge is connected by a hinge connection 79 to a cross-bar 89 (see FIGURE 9) the ends of which slide in the channels of the side bars 77.

The bar 86 has an angle-form cleat 81 attached to its under side and when the closure panel 78 is pulled forward and down at the hand-hole 82 as far as possible the cleat 81 will be stopped by the cross-bar 83 (see FIG- URE 7).

In FIGURE 2 the chair is shown in its folded state ready for storage or shipment. The chair frame can be folded into this compact condition after the seat 33 has been removed, due to the fact that the chair back 10 is of fabric, which, of course, can be readily disposed of when the side frames of the chairs approach each other. To facilitate carrying the seat its rear edge may be provided with a handle 84.

As indicated in FIGURE 6, when the closure panel 73 has been dropped down so as to withdraw the closure from the opening in the seat, the forward end of this panel will occupy space between the upper ends of the two crossbars 5, which are pivotally connected together by the pivot pin 6, and after the closure has arrived at this position, as shown in FIGURE 11, the occupant of the chair can pull this panel in a forward direction, at which time the cross-bar 65 will have arrived at the forward ends of the channel from guide-bars 67 and when this occurs the panel can be permitted to hang down and be suspended in the vertical plane, where it is indicated in dotted lines in FIGURE 11, and in full lines in FIGURE 7. However, in FIGURE 7, instead of using the cross-bar 65 a slide-bar 80 is employed, which is stopped by reason of the engaging of the cleat 81 with a cross bar 83 carried by the forward part of the drop-frame 75.

Referring again to FIGURE 7a it should be said that in that figure the sockets 23 and 24 already referred to, are integral with the bars 22. These bars are tubular and their ends are bent out to form half round sockets that conform to the adjacent curved faces of the upright frame members 7 and 9 against which they abut. These sockets guide the ends of the bars 22 upwardly on the frame bars 7 and 9 when the chair is being folded.

In order to support the weight of the seat and the occupant of the chair the upright bars 7 and 9' are provided with split ring collars 23b and 24b that encircle them. The collars carry tightening means 23a and 24a that include a clamping screw (not shown) which can be tightened up with a screw driver (not shown) to clamp the supporting rings firmly on the frame bars.

Many other embodiments of this invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a wheeled chair, the combination of a chair frame including a pair of side-frames, a seat panel and cushion supported on said side frames, said seat panel and cushion having an opening extending down through the same, said side frames spaced apart sufiiciently to enable the chair to be backed over a toilet-bowl, a closure panel supported by and below the seat panel, a closure attached to the upper side of the closure panel and normally fitting up into said opening from below, means on the chair releasable at will for normally supporting the closure panel, enabling the closure panel to be released and lowered sufiiciently for withdrawing the closure from the opening, guide means supported on the seat panel, extending in a frontand-rear direction and located laterally beyond each of the lateral side edges of the said opening at its widest point, means for supporting and guiding the rear end of said closure panel on said guide means, enabling the closure panel and closure to be drawn forward after the closure has been withdrawn from the opening; said guide means including stop means located forwardly on the guide means for arresting the closure panel after it has completed its forward movement; an articulated connection between the closure panel and the guide means enabling the closure panel and closure to become suspended after said forward movement on the guide means in a position adjacent to, and below the forward portion of the chair, thereby enabling the wheeled chair to be rolled back over the toilet bowl with the closure panel located in front of the bowl when the said opening is centered over the bowl.

2. A chair combination according to claim 1, in which the guide means for supporting the closure panel includes channel-form bars with the open side of the channel disposed inwardly on the chair; and in which the articulated connection between the closure panel, and the guide means includes pintles carried on the closure panel and running in the channels.

3. A chair according to claim 1, in which the releasable means is located adjacent the forward edge of the seat panel and normally maintains the closure filling said opening.

4. A chair combination, according to claim 1, in which the closure panel includes a body portion, carrying the closure and in which the articulated connection between the closure panel and the guiding means includes a transverse ba-r connected to the body portion, the ends whereof are supported on the said laterally disposed guide means, and wherein said stop means includes a transverse flange member for arresting the transverse bar adjacent the forward end of the guide means to permit the body of the closure panel to swing down and become suspended at the forward end of the guide means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 557,614 Schmitt Apr. 7, 1896 1,691,620 Wilson Nov. 13, 1928 1,973,962 Mueller Sept. 18, 1934 2,086,550 Hartig July 13, 1937 2,530,239 Gillis et al'. Nov. 14, 1950 2,592,405 Everest et al. Apr. 8, 1952 2,633,896 Thompson Apr. 7, 1953 

